A Very Shepherd Christmas
by madame.alexandra
Summary: Jasper and Gibbs, both attempting to steal the show with the mother of all cute and fluffy Christmas gifts, cause some chaos on the holiday morning. ACD 'verse; Anna and Kate included. Note - the title 'shepherd' is spelled differently than Jenny's last name for a "punny" reason. !


_a/n: so - i ended up going with one of the names i was brainstorming ... and then a theme sort of took hold after some hilarity with my beta ... :D here's another acd Christmas fic, with both kids and plenty of Gibbs/Colonel !_

* * *

_Christmas, 2020_  
_Alexandria, Virginia_

* * *

Jennifer Gibbs sighed good-naturedly as she stared up at the basement ceiling, listening to the steady sound of footsteps. The steps grew louder, and then they echoed around her as her husband came back down the stairs.

"What was it _this_ time?" she asked, sighing dramatically.

"Kate decided to sneak into Anna's bed," Gibbs grunted, rolling his eyes.

"And Anna … ?"

"Seemed to think she should put Kate back to bed, tried to heave her over the rail thingies on the toddler bed, and dropped her on her head."

Jenny fought the urge to laugh.

"Is Katharyn okay?" she asked dutifully – before laughing, she naturally had to make sure her child wasn't concussed or something.

Gibbs nodded.

"She kept saying 'Santa, Santa!' and then I settled her back in, and she looked right at Anna – she did, Jen," he grinned, "and she said – 'coal, Nanas—coal!'"

Jenny gasped, arching her brows.

"She did not!"

Gibbs nodded, still grinning.

"I swear she did. I thought Anna was gonna have a heart attack."

"Did you convince her she wasn't getting coal?"

"Yeah, and I asked her pretty sternly not to try to throw her sister anywhere from now on."

Jenny laughed again. She sighed, and leaned back against Gibbs' workbench, picking up the glass of spiked eggnog she'd abandoned when they heard the muffled _thud_ from upstairs – and one of the girls had screamed for _Daddy!_ at the top of her lungs.

"You think they'll stay in bed this time?"

"They've got to be worn out," groaned Gibbs.

It was after ten o'clock, for Christ's sake – and even though kids were bound to be more rambunctious on Christmas Eve than any other night of the year, Jenny didn't understand how her two little girls under five were still going strong – sure, they were waiting for Santa, but they'd been up since six a.m., and they'd been entertained at _two_ Christmas parties – the Vances' and the Prides'— _and_ missed nap time today.

"I guess it could be the hot chocolate we let them have at Jackie's. Or the cocoa they had when we got home," she added sheepishly – it _was_ Christmas Eve, she'd given into their requests for another treat.

"Nah," Gibbs said swiftly. "Lookin' for Santa's a bigger high than any amount of caffeine," he decided wisely.

Jenny took a sip of eggnog and started forward, waltzing over to him and placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Little do they know, Santa's in the basement."

"Kissing Mommy," muttered Gibbs wryly, leaning in to do just that.

"Mmhm," Jenny murmured, "that's how we keep the romance alive – role play."

"How come you still got clothes on, then?"

She pressed her palms to his chest and pushed him back a little, shaking her fingers.

"Business first," she whispered, and then pointed over his shoulder.

Hidden behind a bunch of boring blocks of wood – to be used in the ever slowly coming along basement boat project – were the lot of Anna and Katharyn's Christmas presents, waiting to have the finishing touches put on them before they were dispersed festively beneath the tree.

"Once we finish up with bows and labels, they should be fast asleep," she said.

She retreated to have a little more of her eggnog, and watched as Gibbs grudgingly let go of his hopes for some adult time and got back to the task at hand. He moved aside the carefully placed wood and pulled out the bin they'd stashed all the gifts in – it wasn't too terribly much; even though Anna was fully old enough to enjoy all the spoils of the holiday now, they still didn't really spoil their children.

"We got about the same each, didn't we?" Gibbs grunted, starting to spread brightly coloured gifts out over the shell of the boat he was building.

Jenny nodded, licking her lips and coming forward. She'd wrapped most of the gifts in separate wrapping paper to distinguish them, but she could still tell mostly by the packaging what was what. Among other things, Katharyn had gotten her own Raggedy Ann doll and a Raggedy Andy to go with it, Anna had two new colouring books and a huge box of crayons, and both girls each had two new stuffed animals.

"What's this one?" Gibbs asked, holding up a box that seemed to be – "They're a little young for Barbies."

"It's not a Barbie," Jenny said, taking the gift – wrapped in purple and silver paper, Anna's theme. "It's a plush Elsa doll, from the movie."

"The movie I told you people would think we named Anna after," Gibbs growled, annoyed.

"Jethro, when are you going to – "

"Jen, I swear to God – "

"_Let it go_," she finished, giving him a look of mad amusement.

He scowled at her – he hated the song. She laughed.

"I got her the doll so she'd stop trying to change Katharyn's name to Elsa."

"I'm gonna throttle Holly for showin' her that movie," Gibbs muttered darkly.

Until a month ago, Anna had had no earthly clue that there was a Disney film that starred a princess with her name – albeit pronounced a little differently. Then, after one night when Holly Daniels had babysat her, she'd come home with a sing-along version of the film and an unquenchable obsession.

In the weeks since, the movie had played almost nonstop when TV had been allowed – which actually turned out to be good, as Anna slowly started to lose interest. She'd moved on to a movie Katharyn picked out – well, she'd picked it out as best as a two-year-old could, in that she'd liked the shiny green "buggy," as she called it, on the cover.

It was a chameleon, and though Disney's _Tangled_ – and, Disney's _Beauty and the Beast_ – had been popular in the Gibbs household for the past two weeks, Anna still seemed to think that she'd get away with changing her little sister's name to Elsa.

It was driving Gibbs absolutely up the wall – which, of course, meant it was hilarious to Jenny.

"If she calls her Elsa in public one more time, people are gonna think we're crazy."

"We are crazy," Jenny retorted, deadpan. She tapped the box with her finger. "She can take real Elsa with her places, now," she added, as if that were the end of it.

She set the box aside and held up a bag with a plush toy in it.

"I got Katharyn a little Pascal," she said, wrinkling her nose. "He's huge, though, for a chameleon."

Gibbs grinned. He got out a box of bows and labels and tossed his wife a sharpie, and they fell into comfortable, routine silence. They had been doing this for three years now – since Anna was a year old – and this was the year it started to get really fun, since both of their daughters were walking, talking, and more than aware of what was coming.

It didn't take long to finish everything up, and when the gifts were ready to be tossed in the proverbial sleigh (the bin Gibbs was carrying upstairs) and be placed under the tree, Jenny went first to tiptoe in and make sure there were sugarplums dancing in the girls' heads.

They were fast asleep, so she beckoned Gibbs upstairs and then took a quick trip outside in the cold to make sure Duffy was warm enough in his little hutch – Gibbs had built a magnificent insulated wooden winter home for the little guy, but they'd still moved him from the yard onto the patio, which was partly enclosed in screen. Jenny watched the bunny sleep for a moment, and then went back in.

Gibbs gestured at the arrangement – he'd made sure the gifts looked jumbled, as if a giant man in a red suit – and in a hurry – had tossed them around. Jenny nodded in approval.

"Stockings?" he grunted.

Jenny gestured at the fireplace – she'd already taken care of that; at this age, Anna and Katharyn each got a new, kid-friendly ornament in their stocking, a big colourful lollipop, and an orange. Gibbs made fun of her for the oranges, but she'd read in _Little House in the Prairie_ once that oranges were once the greatest luxury for Christmas stockings, and she liked the idea.

Gibbs arched his eyebrows and gave her a wicked look.

"Let's go to bed," he suggested – suggestively.

She held up her hands, smirked, and then pointed to a plate of sugar cookies – sugar cookies that had been diligently and endearingly decorated by two very creative little girls.

"The cookies."

"Jen, I don't want any cookies."

"It has to look like Santa chowed down!" Jenny hissed.

She _loved_ the Santa game – and Gibbs enjoyed it to, but he was one who just liked seeing his daughters happy in the morning. Jenny was a fervent fan of the whole creation of the myth.

Gibbs sat down on the couch and grabbed a cookie. She grinned, and sat down next to him, taking a bite out of his cookie, and then taking one for herself. She snuggled into him as she munched, a little amused at his consternation – she wasn't going to deprive him; it was Christmas Eve. She just had to make sure it was all magical and convincing first!

"Jen," Gibbs grunted suddenly, pulling his cookie back. "I think this has salt on it."

Jenny turned her head, blinking.

"Ah," she said mildly. "It might. I turned my back on Anna for a second. Literally anything could have happened."

Gibbs shot her a glare, and she smirked at him – she knew he couldn't hold that glare for five seconds, not on Christmas, and not when he was the one who literally thought ever single thing his daughters did was miraculous and adorable.

* * *

It was not the insistent squeals of her daughters that awoke her the next morning, but instead the heavy movements of her husband getting – _sneaking,_ it felt like –back into bed.

Jenny rolled over, blinking sleepily. She watched him settle back in through her lashes, waited until he closed his eyes and reached for her, and then sidled a little closer and whispered –

"What were you doing?"

He jerked a little; his eyes flew open. She arched her brows, and almost burst out laughing.

"Did I _scare_ you?" she asked, taken aback herself.

He stared at her a moment, and then shook his head, clearing his throat gruffly.

"I was checkin' on the girls."

"Why, did one of them get up?"

He just kind of stared at her.

"Are you lying to me, Leroy Jethro Gibbs?" Jenny asked lightly, amused. She wrinkled her nose. "Were you stealing more cookies, Mr. Claus?" she asked under her breath.

"I was puttin' clothes back on," he said, a little loudly, and pointedly.

Jenny got serious, and sat up a little.

"Shit, what time is it?" she asked, and then checked the clock herself. It was after seven in the morning – he was right; the kids could come in any moment, it was preferable that she not be naked.

She got up swiftly and pulled on a pair of shorts and a long-sleeved NCIS t-shirt that Gibbs had given her. She slid back into bed and snuggled up.

"Seven-twenty?" she hissed. "No kids yet?"

"They were up so late, it's catchin' up to 'em now," Gibbs snorted smugly.

Jenny pushed her hair back and sighed. She rolled onto her back and blinked at the ceiling.

"Still," she murmured. She kicked her foot out and caught him with it. "You stole their moment. I love them waking me up on Christmas morning."

He rolled over towards her, pretending to roll right on top of her. He put his face close to hers and smirked charmingly.

"You don't miss me waking you up on Christmas morning with a yuletide log?"

She shoved at him, bursting into muffled laughter.

"You're so gross, why did I marry you," she giggled into his shoulder. He ruffled her hair and she kicked at him playfully, trying to maintain a façade of annoyance. He pinned her down lightly and kissed her.

"Merry Christmas," he mumbled smugly.

She put her arms around his neck.

"MOMMY!" screamed Anna, bursting into the room. "MOMMY, SANTA CAME!" she shrieked at full volume. "SANTA CAME, AND KATTY SEE-ED PRESENTs, AND KATTY TRY GOING DOWN STAIRS!"

Gibbs rolled off his wife swiftly and sat up – Jenny followed suit, blinking and pushing her hair back. She reached out to catch her four-year-old as Anna scrambled onto the bed, bright-eyed and flushed.

"What now, honey?" she asked.

Gibbs was already getting up. He pulled a robe on over his pajama pants and bare chest and went out into the hall.

"Santa, SANTA!" panted Anna eagerly. She pointed. "I see-ed the presents, and Katty saw, and she go by herself!"

"Oh!" Jenny exclaimed. "She didn't fall, did she?" she asked, standing up and swinging Anna easily off the bed.

She kissed the little redhead affectionately and then set her on the floor, ruffling her hair before Anna sped out of the room, Jenny at her heels.

"No, she not fall!" Anna said.

At the end of the hall, Gibbs was sitting at the top stair with Katharyn in his knee. She was staring down the stairs with wide-eyes, just able to glimpse the glitter of the presents. She swiveled when she heard them.

"Mama!" she exclaimed, gasping. "Mama, pretty!"

Jenny nodded. She reached down to pick up Katharyn, and Anna squirmed in between them all to dart down the stairs first. Gibbs grinned, and went after her quickly, while Jenny said good morning to Katharyn and carried her all the way down to the Christmas tree.

"Santa, wow!" cried Anna happily. She threw herself down ecstatically in a pile of gifts. "Daddy, Mommy, Santa is so nice!"

"Yes, he's very generous," Jenny agreed. She sat down on the couch and let Katharyn down on the floor.

Katharyn ran excitedly towards her sister, falling down on the floor with her.

"Hmm," Gibbs said loudly. "Should we do breakfast first?" he asked, feigning seriousness.

Anna gasped.

"Daddy, please presents!" she begged, puckering her lip. "Presents first!"

He grinned, and nodded, sitting down on the floor with them. He'd be the one to monitor who opened what gift and prevent any disagreements – and Jenny would enjoy, watch, and take a few photos.

He pointed to the fireplace over Anna's head, and Jenny shook her head slightly – they'd light it later, when her father and Noemi arrived. They were expected over to do Christmas with their grandchildren at about nine. Jenny got up quickly to start a pot of coffee and grab her camera, and when she got back Anna and Katharyn, in their little pajamas, were patiently – well, as patiently as they could – waiting for her so they could start.

"You can go when Mommy says," Gibbs said mildly.

Anna and Katharyn looked at her with wide, expectant eyes – both had Gibbs' piercing blues, and they looked much alike except for Katharyn's light blonde hair.

Jenny grinned at them; she had no intention of making them wait while she got the camera ready.

"Go!" she cried softly, nodding her head encouragingly.

They both ripped into their gifts – Anna with much more experience and fervor than her little sister. Gibbs, in fact, pulled Katharyn into his lap and lazily helped her with the toughest parts of her gift.

She was barely through when Anna left up shrieking.

"Mommy, Daddy look!" she cried, holding a colouring book high above her head. "It's _Princesses_, look!"

Jenny and Gibbs, of course, pretended to be shocked and awed – just as they did when Katharyn squealed over her stuffed Pascal toy, and with each subsequent gift they opened, right down to Katharyn's new musical alphabet puzzle and a new bedtime storybook for Anna – Jenny's old favorite, _Angelina Ballerina_.

"Can we read this now?" Anna gasped, running over to Jenny with her Elsa doll clutched tightly in her arm.

She nearly tripped over her pajama pants – they were new, and a little too long, and Jenny caught her, lifting her onto her lap.

"Maybe a little later, before naptime," she said carefully.

"No naps today," Anna said quickly. "Christmas!"

"We'll fight that battle later," Jenny laughed, glancing at Gibbs.

He was pretending to have Pascal the stuffed animal steal Katharyn's nose. Jenny had Anna 'help' her get a picture of that, and then kissed her oldest daughter, and glanced over at Gibbs and the two-year-old.

"Did Katharyn get everything?" she asked gently.

He grunted positively.

"Did you get all your nice new things?" Jenny asked, turning to Anna.

Anna nodded fervently.

"So much _happy_!" she squealed. She pointed excitedly. "New toy for Duffy, Mommy!" she said. "And," she added earnestly. "Katty get a buggy of her own!"

Anna meant Pascal the stuffed animal, but she had gotten into the habit of calling it buggy just like Katharyn did.

"Pascal," Gibbs said clearly, pointing to the animal for Katharyn. "Pah-scahl."

"Pah-cow," repeated Katharyn brightly. "Pacah!"

Gibbs nodded, and shrugged; close enough. He sat up straighter and glanced towards the laundry room. Jenny followed his gaze; he looked distracted. He glanced at his watch.

Jenny gave him an amused look – and then she looked around at the gift-wrappings strewn about the floor. She leaned down to Anna's ear.

"Why don't you decorate Katty like you did last year," she whispered. "Let Mama get a picture."

Anna nodded and hopped off her mother's lap, darting over to Katharyn. Gibbs stood up, stepping on paper as he got out of the way, and Jenny watched as Anna clumsily plopped a bow on her sister's head, and then draped some garland around her neck – then, she got a garland boa for herself, and stuck two bows on her head.

Jenny held up a camera.

"Strike a pose, Princess Anna," Jenny laughed.

Gibbs retreated behind the couch, resting his hand on her shoulder a moment. He watched as Anna goofed around, and crouched down to snuggle with Anna. Katharyn shrieked with laughter and rose to her feet, obviously wanting in on the fun. It was a long moment before the two sat back down and seemed, for a moment, to absorb themselves in play; Anna wanted Katharyn to play with her, but Katharyn was still at a stage where she was more content and able to play by herself.

Gibbs suddenly cleared his throat.

"Girls, I think Santa might have left one more gift for you," he said.

Jenny paused, looking up from her camera. She looked at the girls' shocked, expectant faces, and then turned a little towards Gibbs.

"He told me he left it in the basement," Gibbs went on.

Jenny turned her head up, and looked at him pointedly.

"That's interesting," she said quietly, "because Mrs. Claus doesn't remember anything in the basement."

Gibbs grinned at her smugly, and then slowly strode backwards. Katharyn stared after him, blue eyes shining, and Anna got up and ran forward.

"Mommy," she hissed. "Mommy, did Santa leaved a _reindeer_ for us?"

"Hmm," Jenny murmured, eyes wide. "It's surprise!" she said truthfully. "I wonder what it is – "

She was playing along, when Anna let out a piercing shriek that, for a moment, Jenny wasn't sure signaled pain or pure joy. It quickly became clear from the smile, and the way Anna threw herself onto the couch and nearly catapulted over it, that it was joy – and Jenny turned around to see –

"Oh, it's a puppy!" Jenny said, in the same tone of mystical wonder she'd been using with Anna a moment earlier.

She glared at Gibbs though, completely shocked herself.

Katharyn had bolted up.

"Doggie!" she cried, a smile on her little face. "Mama, Doggie! Woof!" she cried. "Woof, woof!"

"Woof, woof," repeated Jenny, nodding.

As he let the small, squirming, happily whining puppy down on the couch for Anna to devour with snuffles, Gibbs finally met his wife's eyes – a little sheepishly, but mostly smugly and triumphantly.

She narrowed her eyes.

"Puppy?" she mouthed silently.

He shrugged.

"Couldn't help it," he said under his breath.

He'd been wanting a dog since Anna was a baby – and he'd been vocal about it; but they'd gotten the bunny, and then they'd had Katharyn, and she'd been so busy with law school and work – and in recent months, he'd almost had her convinced they might be able to deal with a puppy, but nothing had been decided –

Anna got off the couch and was leading the puppy by a large, sturdy green bow over to Katharyn, still almost crying with excitement. The bow unraveled and fell off of the puppy quickly, abandoned on the floor.

Jenny leaned back, keeping her voice low.

"How the hell did you get this by me?" she asked.

Gibbs leaned down, resting his arms on the couch and smirking at her.

"Jardine's dad breeds 'em," he muttered. "Overheard her sayin' they couldn't get rid of the last one, figured it was fate."

"But I was still on the fence about a puppy – "

"Look at 'is face, Jen," Gibbs hissed, pointing.

Jenny turned to see the puppy licking happily at Anna's mouth, occasionally stopping to bark joyfully. When it barked, Katharyn would bark back in an adorable high pitch, startling the puppy into staring at her with popped up ears.

Jenny's heart veritably melted, though she tried not to show that to Gibbs – yet. She turned back.

"You went behind my back – "

"He's for you, too," Gibbs said, obviously well aware he wasn't really in trouble. "C'mon, Jen, you had Ike growin' up, I see how much you love playin' with Custer at your Dad's place," he coaxed.

Jenny chewed her lip.

"He's a German Shepherd, then?" she asked.

Gibbs nodded.

"I think Golden Retrievers are best for kids – "

"I like Shepherds," Gibbs said, stressing the last word pointedly. He shrugged. "Raise 'em with kids, raise 'em right, they're fine."

Jenny licked her lips, looking back at the kids.

"Mama," giggled Katharyn madly. "Mama, Mama, doggie tickle!" she laughed breathlessly.

Anna dragged the puppy to her –

"Gentle, Anna!" Jenny warned.

\- and pressed a little kiss to its fluffy, small head. It waged its tail furiously, obviously delighted with the attention.

It was incredibly hard to even be marginally frustrated that Gibbs had gone over her head; the girls were so happy – Anna had been asking for a dog for over a year, and Katharyn always wanted to pet 'doggies,' too – and it really was an adorable puppy – it reminded Jenny of her Ike.

She sighed.

"Just tell me this," she said, "is that where you were this morning? I know you didn't keep that puppy in the house last night."

Gibbs grinned at her, and winked slyly.

"Nah, Jen," he said smoothly. "_Santa_ brought 'im."

* * *

Noemi Cruz Shepard was brushing dusty snow and long, brownish hairs off of her husband's shoulders as they walked up the front lawn to the Gibbs' Alexandria home. The place, tastefully decorated with lights and naturally capped with snow, looked gorgeous, and the General was too preoccupied to appreciate it.

"Quiet," he growled at the squirming things in his hands.

He felt significantly ignored, considering he was a hugely powerful and influential Army General and a small, moving Christmas gift was currently ignoring him – and making him look fairly un-intimidating to boot.

"You should have leave him in car," Noemi said, "until you warn them."

"I can't leave him in the car, Nomi," growled Jasper Shepard.

"It not too hot," Noemi said simply.

"He'll cry," retorted Jasper.

Noemi smiled, amused at his concern for the little guy's feelings, and she reached out and knocked as a courtesy before reaching out to open the door.

"Hold on," Jasper muttered. "Let me get a good grip on him," he struggled, adjusting the huge, garish red and green bow around its neck –

\- and then Noemi opened the door, right as Gibbs was coming down the hall to check why they hadn't just walked in, and right at Gibbs feet, careening along was a German Shepherd puppy that looked scarily like the one -

"What the hell is that?" Gibbs asked, his face blanching.

-the General was holding in his arms.

Noemi's eyebrows when up in surprise as she shut the door quickly, to keep the puppy on the floor from escaping. It started whining and nipping at her feet, and the one in the General's arms started barking excitedly, straining to get down to the floor.

"What the hell is _that_?" retorted the General loudly, nodding at the other puppy.

"It's a puppy!" Gibbs growled, glaring.

The General held up his, as if it were a baby lion in a children's film.

"_This_ is a puppy!" he said, looking so fierce it was almost comical.

"Why do _you_ have a puppy?" Gibbs demanded.

"No, why do _you_ have a puppy?" the General demanded right back.

Noemi laughed - she straightened up, holding the puppy without the bow in her arms, and stepped forward. She kissed Gibbs chastely on the cheek and then looked between the two men.

"I tell you, Jasper," she said good-naturedly, "you should have ask."

Jasper held out his hand, outraged.

"How was I supposed to know this idiot was gonna – "

"Idiot? You got 'em the same thing, what's that make you – "

"Don't fight with me on Christmas, Jennifer will – "

"_Jen_ is gonna go ballistic!" Gibbs interrupted, suddenly looking even more appalled. "I didn't tell her about _this_ puppy!" he said, pointing at the one Noemi had.

The General looked at him like he was insane. Gibbs _felt_ insane – but then, the General was insane, too, if they were defining it by surprise puppy gifting.

"Who the hell doesn't tell their wife – "

"Who the hell doesn't tell their _daughter_ – "

"Are you two seriously already at each other?"

Jenny's voice echoed down the stairs, and Gibbs and the General stared at each other with something that was suspiciously similar to pure terror. Noemi handed her puppy blithely to Gibbs and stepped back.

Jenny was upstairs, putting Anna and Katharyn into their nice Christmas dresses and fixing their hair – Gibbs had been fixing the massive Christmas breakfast while she did so – and now, the sound of footsteps heralded – well, probably impending doom.

"Dada!" Katharyn's voice reached them first. "Dada, where doggie! I kiss doggie!"

She appeared at the top of the stairs, obediently waiting for Anna, who skipped up and held her hand. They started ambling down.

"Katty, I will hug the puppy, you kiss him while I – "

Anna froze. She'd spotted her grandfather – and her sharp, blue eyes had spotted what he was holding. It took about three seconds before she let out her second ear-splitting shriek of the day.

Katharyn jumped and covered her ears, eyes wide.

"MOMMY!" Anna screamed, despite the fact that her father and grandfather were shaking their heads. "GRANPA BROUGHT ANOTHER PUPPY!"

Jenny appeared at the top of the stairs just as Anna was flying down them, abandoning Katharyn to try and do it by herself. Gibbs and the General had no choice but to let the happily squirming puppies down to hop up to Anna, and Katharyn slid down some stairs, holding onto the railing. It was chaos, and in the midst of it, Jenny was staring at her daughters, each being kissed by a puppy, as if she wasn't exactly sure she was awake. Then, she lifted her head, and glared straight at her father.

"I'm having double vision," she stated pointedly. "Aren't I?"

Obviously, she wanted the answer to the question to be _yes_. Instead, her father said, quite eloquently:

"Uhm."

Noemi took that moment to take a deep breath and step up a few stairs, reaching out to greet Jenny. Jenny accepted Noemi's kiss a, distracted, and never took her eyes off of her father and her husband, even as Noemi crouched down to greet the girls and they welcomed her with affectionate "Mi-Mi, Mi-Mi!s."

Gibbs and her father both looked at her contritely – although Gibbs seemed to be looking slightly smug, under the guilty exterior. Jenny came down the stairs, careful not to step on a kid or a puppy – of which there were suddenly _two_, she had to keep reminding herself – and folded her arms.

"Dad," she said quietly. "What is wrong with you?"

Her father stared at her a moment.

"Me? I?" he spluttered. He pointed at Gibbs. "He didn't tell me you were gettin' them a puppy!"

"He didn't tell me either," Jenny said, shooting a glare at Gibbs.

Gibbs jerked his thumb at the General.

"_He_ didn't tell _me_ he was gettin' 'em a puppy!"

"It was a surprise!" snapped the General.

"Yeah," growled Gibbs, rounding on him, "Great minds think alike!" he quoted, a little sarcastically.

His father-in-law gave him a dark look, and stepped away, turning to placate his daughter. He held up his hands as if he were talking to a crazy person.

"Jennifer, in my defense," and then he just stopped.

He realized he didn't really have anything to say. He realized it was obvious that Gibbs would have gotten them a puppy – Gibbs was more prone to spoiling them, just like the General was, and Gibbs knew Anna vocally wanted a puppy, and Katharyn loved dogs.

It made sense that this had happened.

The General grit his teeth.

"Look, Jennifer," he began again.

"Dad," she started dangerously.

"Would you be pissed if he hadn't already brought a puppy home?" griped Jasper, making a good point. "I get in trouble for not tellin' you because I didn't do it first?"

"Well it is a little more appropriate for their father to get them a puppy!" Jenny hissed, shrugging. "He lives here, he can help take care of it!"

The General blustered for a moment.

"I figured it would be the best gift, for both of 'em! Instead of a bunch of crap they'd get tired of and leave underfoot!"

That he meant – a puppy was a good gift, it always was. Kids could grow up with puppies, and play with them for hours.

"Now I have two puppies _and_ two kids underfoot!" Jenny retorted quietly. She glanced over her shoulder. "You'll have to keep yours."

Immediately, her father and husband protested.

"Jennifer, my house isn't big enough – "

"Jen, you can't – Anna and Kate have already seen it – "

"Custer hates the damn puppy, he bites him – "

"They can each have one, Jen, it's fair – "

Jenny held up her hands, silencing them. She glanced back and forth rapidly, trying to deal with the utter hijinks – the utter ridiculousness – of both Gibbs and her father deciding to surprise her with puppies on the exact same day.

She chose to start with Gibbs.

"You are responsible for these puppies, Jethro," she said emphatically. "I want them house trained, and not the way you half-assed your part with Katharyn's potty training," before he could protest, she rounded on her father, "and you owe me leashes, dog beds, brushes – and the first round of vaccinations – "

Both of them were nodding in agreement, and Jenny whipped back to Gibbs. She put her hands on her hips.

"Two puppies, Jethro? You want to raise two puppies?"

"It can't be harder than kids, Jen," he said seriously.

She grit her teeth.

"I spent eight years avoiding unplanned pregnancy, unplanned anything, and you stick me with two unplanned puppies!" she accused.

He made the huge mistake of grinning at her – and then he composed his face so apologetically, he looked like a damn puppy, and she almost backed off him then and there – but she had to glare sternly for a moment longer.

Noemi cleared her throat.

"I warn him, Jenny," she said smartly. "I tell him – to call, to ask first."

Jenny gave her a warm look.

"Of course you did, Noemi, because you have a brain," she said simply.

"Jennifer, I am a two-star Army General – "

"I really don't know how you got even one star, considering you're lacking the ability to use a telephone."

Her father stared at her, taken aback. Gibbs laughed, and then pretended he was coughing. He stepped away from the General and moved towards his daughters – they were still absorbed in the puppies, and being watched by Noemi. He was glad – and Jenny was too, deep down – that they were too little and distracted to realize the atmosphere was a little tense.

Jenny sighed. She turned to look at Gibbs, who had crouched down and was showing Katharyn how to be gentler with the little puppy, and she looked back at her father.

He gave her a half a smile.

"A guy I work with breeds 'em for the police force," he said. "That one's the runt, didn't make the cut – like Ike, remember?" he asked. "That's how I got you Ike, in Germany."

Jenny nodded.

"I remember," she said softly.

It wasn't something she'd forget – even Gibbs had loved her precious first pet, Ike the German Shepard.

"It seemed like fate," the General grunted.

It was the same thing Gibbs had said.

Jenny rolled her eyes a little. She arched a brow.

"What got into you, Dad?" she asked, still being stern.

He grinned at her a little.

"I figured if I got 'em a puppy, they'd like me better than him," he said, jerking his thumb at Gibbs.

Gibbs stood up, outraged – though his glare was minimized by the puppy in one of his arms, and the toddler in the other - and at the look on his face, Jenny relented, and laughed – because if anything hadn't changed, it was the rivalry between Gibbs and the General, except now instead of fighting over Jenny's favor, they fought over Anna and Katharyn's.

Katharyn barked at the dog Gibbs was holding in his other hand, and it barked back. Katharyn stared at it, stunned. Anna giggled, and held up her puppy with some help from Noemi.

"Daddy," she said, "Santa's puppy is bigger than Grandpa's!"

Gibbs smirked, and the General glared at him.

Jenny leaned forward to hug her father, welcoming him to Christmas.

"I hate to break it to you, Dad," Jenny said gently, kissing his cheek, "but puppy or no puppy, their Daddy comes first."

* * *

When breakfast had been eaten – and breakfast was a loud and raucous affair, with all the new animals to deal with – and gift wrappings cleaned up, and the fire lit, and everything calmed down a bit, Gibbs found some old teething rings in the basement and gave them to the girls to play with the puppies with.

He sat on the couch with Jenny next to him, while the General sat on the floor with the girls, making sure no puppy bites got too aggressive, and Noemi nursed a mug of coffee in an armchair.

"Doggie," Katharyn piped up. "Doggie, play!" she laughed.

"Puppy, sit!" Anna said. The puppy lunged at her excitedly and licked her. "Ahhh, Puppy!" she squealed, laughing.

"They need names," Jenny announced – she had accepted that the puppies were staying, and she wasn't going to have them in the house without proper names.

"I was thinkin' Sherman," Jasper said immediately. "Civil War Sherman," added.

Jenny arched her brow.

"Dad, you can't get my daughters a puppy for Christmas and not let them name it," she said pointedly. "_Sherman_? The Civil War? They're not even five."

He blinked at her, affronted.

"It's a good, strong name! It's our tradition!"

"They get to name their own puppies, _Dad_," Gibbs said, loudly and patronizingly.

"We'll see about that, _Son_."

"Jasper," said Noemi, clicking her tongue.

He looked sheepish, and then turned to Anna, tilting his head.

"What do you think, Bananas?" he asked, his tone changing. "How about Sherman for your puppy?"

"That one's mine!" Gibbs said automatically. "Anna's is bigger, it's –"

"Santa's," Anna piped up innocently, and Jenny elbowed Gibbs hard in the ribs. "Santa brought this one."

"Yeah," Gibbs agreed quickly.

Anna spoke before the General could say anything.

"Sherman is icky," she said solemnly. "I can name Puppy?" she asked.

"Yes," Jenny said, loudly and before anyone could protest. "Anna, you can name that puppy whatever you want. As long as Katharyn likes it, too."

Anna looked thrilled. She flopped on the floor, pulled the puppy onto her, and laughed when it licked her nose. It sprung off of her and then wagged its tail, pouncing at her feet.

She sat up.

"Max!" she giggled.

The General looked pained.

"Every damn dog on the planet – "

"Stop swearing," hissed Gibbs.

Jasper glared at him. Gibbs looked at Anna.

"Max, huh?" he asked, looking a little wary himself. "The Grinch has a dog named Max, honey," he started.

Jenny poked him.

"Her. Puppy," she snapped under her breath.

"Not Grinch-y Max!" Anna sang. She stood up, and darted over, her red hair flying behind her, her red dress kicking up at her heels. "Maximus, horse-y Max!" she said.

Gibbs stared at her. The General looked at Jenny.

"The _Tangled_," Noemi said, swiftly and accurately. "The horse from Rapunzel film."

Anna didn't hear her, but she kept talking.

"Silly horse-y, he acts like Puppy," she said. "Maximus, Max, Max!" she sang, running over to the dog.

She bent to kiss it, and then turned to Katharyn.

"Katty, his name can be Max?" she asked, pointing to her puppy. "Max, Max, Max?"

Katharyn looked up at her big sister and at the puppy.

"Max!" she repeated happily.

Anna grinned. She sat down next to Katharyn.

"What you name your puppy?" she asked. She looked at her parents. "I can name Katty's puppy?"

"Why don't you _help_ Katharyn name her puppy," suggested Jenny fairly.

"Beast?" Anna said, looking at Katharyn.

Katharyn blanched. She shook her head.

"No, no like Beast!" she whined. "No Beast, scary!"

"Anna, she doesn't like that movie," Gibbs said. "She's too little."

"Scar!" Anna piped up. She got on her knees and reached for the smaller puppy Katharyn had – it still had a bow on its neck. "Scar, Katty?" Katharyn stared at her, and Anna frowned. "Jafar?"

"Anna," Jenny said, laughing a little, "Stop suggesting _villains_."

"But it looks like Scar!" Anna pointed out, rather accurately.

She looked frustrated a moment, and then she spotted something, and she jumped up. She grabbed a toy at Noemi's feet, and held it up high – it was none other than Pascal the stuffed chameleon.

"Pascal!" she cried. She sunk to her knees by her sister. "Pascal, Katty," she said, pointing to the toy and the dog. "Pascal?"

"Pah-cow!" repeated Katharyn, beaming. She clapped her hands. "Pahcal!"

Anna squealed.

She stood up proudly, and pointed.

"Max and Pascal, Mommy!" she announced. "Daddy, Max and Pascal!" she pointed at the tiny runt – the one the General had given, when she christened Pascal, and he looked affronted.

"Pascal – what in the name of – that's a pansy light colour, isn't it?" he growled. "I get her a German Shepherd, and – "

"That's pastel," Gibbs interrupted loudly, as if it were obvious.

"Excuse me, _Mrs._ Gibbs," retorted the General, some sort of wild attempt to insult Gibbs' masculinity.

"_Pascal_," Jenny said loudly, "is Katharyn's favorite character in _Tangled,"_ she looked over at her father, "and historically, he's actually a mathematician and inventor – nothing to be ashamed of," she added.

Jasper still looked a little affronted – he had been set on having another general German Shepherd in the family.

The big one – Max – pounced on the little one and began biting his ear; the little one, Pascal, rolled over rapidly, got up to fight back, and promptly flipped over into Anna's lap and started biting his own ear.

Gibbs burst out laughing.

"Look, Jasper, yours is dumb!" he mocked.

His father-in-law glared at him, and Jenny tried not to laugh too much. Katharyn, however, didn't seem to mind; she gently snatched up Pascal and managed to bunch him up like a baby and snuggle him.

"Pahcal," she said cutely. She giggled. "Pahcal!"

The General stopped scowling so, and broke into a small sort of proud grin, and Gibbs leaned forward, watching the girls play with the puppies.

Jenny leaned back, and rested her hand on the back of Gibbs' neck, massaging lightly. She watched Max and Pascal – her two new boys, she supposed – entertaining her girls, and she smiled to herself – she figured two unplanned Christmas puppies was a surprise she could live with, and at least the story of both of the growly, brooding males in her life deciding to turn up with cuddly, fluffy, bow-decorated puppies would be a hell of a sit-com like story for holiday gatherings to come.

* * *

_Christmas 2020_

* * *

_:D double trouble ! _

_-alexandra  
story #235_


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